


Salvation Calls

by gubler



Category: The Walking Dead & Related Fandoms, The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Alexandria Safe-Zone (Walking Dead), Angst, Brother Aaron, Daryl Dixon Smut, Denial of Feelings, Drama, Eventual Romance, F/M, Fluff and Smut, Friends to Lovers, Hostage Situations, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Kidnapping, Mad Daryl, Newcomer, Original Female Character(s) - Freeform, POV Original Character, Porn With Plot, Porn with Feelings, Protective Daryl Dixon, Protective Siblings, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Suspicious Daryl Dixon
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-12
Updated: 2020-03-14
Packaged: 2021-02-28 16:34:29
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,569
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23120311
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gubler/pseuds/gubler
Summary: When Aaron's long lost sister arrives outside the gates of Alexandria, everyone's suspicions are raised. Aaron seems more than happy to accept her back into his life after years of believing her to be dead but one person who isn't so sure about the newcomer is Daryl Dixon.Upon making an effort to keep a close eye on her, will his feelings change to something more than distrust?
Relationships: Aaron (Walking Dead)/Original Female Character(s), Daryl Dixon & Original Female Character(s), Daryl Dixon/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 23





	1. What's behind the gates?

* * *

Trying to travel cross country on foot was never going to be easy, even without the world falling apart around me, it would have been a challenge. Years. That’s how long I’d been walking. I didn’t know how long precisely but in all fairness, I didn’t care anymore. For the first few months, I’d kept track of the days, the time but after a while, it all just got lost in the chaos that was this new world.

In reality, I hadn’t walked across the entire country, it just felt that way by the soles of my feet and the tenseness in my muscles. Originally, I hadn’t thought it would take this long – I found out where he had been taken way back when this disaster happened but getting out of New York alive had taken me months. The roads were jammed with abandoned cars, people were fleeing on foot in every direction, knowing that they just had to get out of the city, escape the dead. I’d gotten his message the morning the world went to shit.

_If you get this, we’ve been transferred to a safe zone outside of Alexandria, Virginia. I’m sorry I couldn’t find you in time. Stay safe and get out of the city. Aaron._

The words had been embedded in my mind, remaining there at the forefront of my thoughts long after the phones stopped working. I couldn’t understand why he would go without me, why he would take off and abandon me without so much as a second thought. With many quiet nights by myself however, I realised that he didn’t have a choice. I’d come to terms with his decision, moved on, forgiven him for the awful thing he didn’t have a choice in doing. The journey from New York to Virginia had been a nightmare but it had acted as the perfect distraction from my almost guaranteed downfall. I was on my own, no weapons, I hadn’t exactly studied hand to hand combat with the dead 101 at college. My time as a girl scout all those years ago, however? Invaluable – if I could find scout leader Janet right now I’d wrap my arms around her neck and thank her for all those times she told me my knots were shit.

My eyes settled on the road in front of me and I let out a slow breath, this had to be it. Virginia, check. Outside of Alexandria, check. I pulled my dogeared map from my back pocket, staring at the red circles and black crosses I’d patterned it with in the throws my frustration. This had been the second last quadrant to check for any sign of a safe zone because that was just my kind of luck. The walls surrounding whatever was inside were enormous and much sturdier than I had been anticipating. I took small steps towards the gates, not knowing what awaited me behind the wood and sheet metal.

“Stop right there!” A voice bellowed from above and I frowned, instinctively holding my hands up in front of me as I searched desperately to find the source of the noise. Above the gates, there was a place for people to keep watch – of course there was, how had I not considered that? They wouldn’t just let any random person just saunter into their territory.

“Don’t shoot,” I replied, clearing my dry throat with great effort. “I’m looking for someone,” I added, hoping that at some point these people would put down their weapons, I’d adapted over the years to be pretty good under pressure but still, it wasn’t helping.

The gates began to open and I was rewarded with a glimpse into the world behind them. Buildings, still standing. Livestock. Crops.   
“Well shit,” I mumbled, automatically stepping forward.

“I said stop there!” The same guy yelled down from his watch site.

“Sorry,” I replied. “I’m here looking for someone if you could just let me explain and I,” I was cut off abruptly as two further people came out of the gates and grabbed me by the tops of my arms.

“Hey,” I grunted in response, the female of the pair was holding onto me a little too tight for my liking. My bag fell to the ground behind me as they pulled me inside. A third person moved to pick it up and I could hear them as they unbuckled it and started rummaging in my things.

“Hey, check this out,” He called from behind me and I turned to see him studying the worn photograph in his hands as another man walked towards him, they shared glances between one another before they disappeared from my sight.

“Take her to the cell until we find Michonne,” someone from above ordered and I found myself being dragged through the small crowds of people, having no idea what exactly I had stumbled upon.

* * *

I guessed I’d been inside the tiny cell for around three hours as the daylight was turning to a burnt orange hue that flowed in through the corner of the sorry excuse for a window. I sucked my lips into my mouth, desperately trying to moisten the dry, cracked skin. I hadn’t been able to find water for a day and a half and my body was suffering. My needs were put on hold when he door to the make-shift jail rattled open, scraping against the stone floor before someone entered. It was a dark-skinned woman, her long dreadlocks hanging down over her shoulders and her expression one hundred per cent terrifying. I’d had my fair share of run-ins with bad people yet I hadn’t necessarily prepared myself for this being one of those run-ins. In hindsight, perhaps I should have.

“Who are you?” She asked, her voice softer than I had imagined. I groaned as I clambered to my feet and moved closer to the bars of the cell.

“My names Liv.” My voice was as steady as I could manage, yet still, there was a tremble that lingered at the back of my throat. I hadn’t let myself consider that this plan wouldn’t, well, go to plan. What if Aaron never made it here? What he was dead? It had been years, after all, anything could have happened.

“Why do you have this picture?” She questioned, curiosity creasing the corners of her eyes as she held up the photograph in front of me. I’d stared at it so many times, spent hours tormenting myself over whether or not I was doing the right thing in following him here.

“Do you know him?” I asked, “Is he…?” My throat closed at the thought of my next words, so instead, I took another breath in and tried to calm my nerves.

“How do you know him?” She questioned further as if my emotional response did not affect her in any way, shape or form.

“I’m his sister.” She tilted her head to the side as she considered my answer and despite her evident experience as the woman in charge, she couldn’t hide her surprise. She turned abruptly, walking across to the door and pulling it open.

“Get Aaron.” I heard her whisper to whoever was outside keeping watch. She came back in, closing the door behind her and folding her slender arms across her torso.

We stood face to face in silence, she was watching me as if I had grown a second head. I had so much I wanted to ask her, so much I wanted to talk about. It had been months since I’d last seen a living person and talking to myself was something I’d grown tired of. My train of thought was interrupted at the sound of rushed footsteps against dusty ground. Seconds later the door slammed open, the footsteps much closer now and warped by gasps of panicked air. It took me a lifetime to recognise him, he was older but it was still him. His dark hair with that slight whisper of auburn, the kindness in his eyes. It was him. It was my brother. It was Aaron.


	2. Life Before

* * *

His eyes widened as he grabbed the keys to the cell from the woman and stumbled to get the door unlocked. Instantly, I was in his arms, one of which was distinctly more metal than it had been the last time I’d seen him.

“I can’t believe you’re here,” He whispered in my ear, tears already moistening his cheeks as his grip got tighter.

“Took me long enough, right?” I laughed, my own eyes watering as his warmth surrounded me. Finally, he broke away, dipping his head a little to look at me as his open palm pressed against the side of my face.

“You’re thin,” He said light-heartedly, “Are you hurt, are you ok?”

“I’m thinking about marketing the apocalypse diet when this whole thing blows over.” My voice trembled as I swiped away my tears as quickly as they had fallen.

“How did you get here?” Aaron questioned and I finally had time to look at the prosthetic attached at his elbow.

“It’s a really long story, do you mind if we get out of this thing?” I signalled to the cell and he nodded, turning around with my hand still clasped in his.

“Michonne this is my sister, this is Liv,” He announced and the woman’s stance grew less stiff.

“You came alone?” Michonne asked.

I nodded briefly, “I was with a few people to start with but you know how it goes.” She looked between myself and Aaron.   
“We can trust her,” Aaron interjected before she had a chance to voice her obvious apprehension.

Much to my surprise, the woman named Michonne had allowed me to leave with Aaron with little argument. I had a feeling however that her questioning wasn’t over. Aaron barely stopped talking to take a breath the entire time we walked to his home, by the time we got there I was filled in on almost everything that had occurred since he arrived at Alexandria.   
“A lot has happened,” He sighed as he leaned back in his chair, empty plates in front of us both.

“No kidding,” I scoffed, my heart aching for the losses my brother had had in just a few short years.

He leaned forward on the table and locked eyes with me before he spoke again, “I never would have left if…” I immediately shook my head and placed my hand on top of his.

“Stop that, don’t,” I spilled, tightening my grip around his. “You had Eric to think about. Plus, no one had any idea what was going on or how long it was going to last. I don’t think any of us thought the world was literally going to end.” I let a small laugh escape me but Aaron’s expression didn’t lighten.   
“It seems like this place is perfect for the apocalypse though, huh?” I looked around the dining room we were sitting in, the place was immaculate – the type of home you could easily lock yourself away in and forget the world outside.

“It’s taken a lot of work but it’s something,” Aaron smiled, his eyes heavy with the emotion of the day.

“You look exhausted, I’m sorry,” He shook his head and rubbed at the back of his neck before standing up. “You can take my room, it’s just up the stairs to the left. Bathroom’s right next door.”

I copied his action and stood up, “Are you kidding? No way I’m fine down here. There’s a couch through there that looks way comfier than anywhere I’ve slept in god knows how long. Plus, you gotta be up there where you belong when that little girl of yours wakes up. Can’t have her finding some strange woman in your bed, might get people talking,” I laughed and Aaron, for the first time since we started talking, seemed to return the gesture without strain.

“Fine,” He walked over to a closet in the corner and pulled out a couple of blankets, passing them to me with a sigh.

“I can’t get over how weird this is,” He shook his head as I took the blankets from his hand.  
“Yeah well, let’s just hope I can stick around. People around here seem a little uncomfortable with new people.” I thought back to all the eyes on me as I was lead to the cell, people looked frightened, anxious. I wondered if there was more going on in this part of the world than I knew about.

“I’ll see you in the morning,” Aaron said, pressing his lips against my forehead, something he’d always done when I was younger. Reluctant to allow my emotions to spill over yet again, I turned and made my way through to the living room. With a huff, I collapsed down amidst the soft cushions and for the first time in what felt like forever, I drifted off into a peaceful, dreamless sleep.

Despite my comfort, I still found myself waking the moment the sun began streaming in through the windows. I lifted my hand to shield my eyes from the light as I pushed myself up against the back of the couch. I could certainly get used to this, waking up well slept on a surface other than a dirt floor. With a groan, I stretched my arms up above me and enjoyed the sense of security – I had a feeling I’d be put through my paces over the course of today, Michonne seemed as though she had one hundred and one questions for me. No doubt one or two of those questions was how exactly one woman manages to get from New York to Virginia on foot, alive and alone. My train of thought was interrupted as a loud knock came from the front door of Aaron’s house. I glanced back at the staircase, noticing that the hallway upstairs was still in darkness. Curiosity getting the better of me, I swung my feet over the side of the couch and pulled on my dirtied jeans before I made my way over to the heavy wooden door and opened it just enough to peek outside. Through the crack, there was a man – broad-shouldered with scruffy dark hair, a crossbow slung haphazardly over his shoulder, he tensed as soon as he realised I wasn’t who he was expecting.

“Hi,” I smiled uncomfortably, opening the door just a little wider. The man frowned at me, looking me up and down as if he wasn’t certain he’d knocked on the right door.

“I’m here for Aaron,” He grunted, his voice strong with a southern twang that in a previous life would’ve had me going weak at the knees.

“He’s still sleeping, I kept him up pretty late last night,” I replied, realising immediately how that statement would sound. I let the door swing open and clasped a hand over my eyes.

“I didn’t mean…I’m not…” I stammered, the man still standing there with a disinterested expression written across his face. “I’m his sister.” I finalised with a sigh, trying to allow some of the humiliation to diffuse.

“He upstairs?” The man interrupted my train of thought by pushing past me and moving towards the staircase.

“Hey!” I snapped, following him. “You can’t just barge into someone’s house. I’m talking to you!” I continued, my tired legs struggling to keep up with his long strides as he took two steps at a time. He was just about to open to door to Aaron’s room when the bathroom door swung open, revealing a somewhat dishevelled looking Aaron, his eyes still heavy with the early morning.

“Daryl,” Aaron grumbled, blinking his eyes and rubbing at his unshaven cheeks in confusion for a second until the realisation set in. “Shit, I forgot. Let me get changed and I’ll be down in a minute.”

“You wanna explain this?” The man he’d addressed as Daryl nodded in my direction and I found myself inadvertently offended – until I remembered the people here had known my brother a long time, chances were, he’d never even told them about me. From our long conversation last night, I’d concluded that Aaron had presumed I was dead just a few weeks into the end of the world. I guess I couldn’t really blame him, of all the people to survive, I would not have put money on me being one of them.

“Daryl meet Liv, Liv meet Daryl,” Aaron yelled before he closed his bedroom door to get changed. The man he’d addressed as Daryl turned to look at me, his discomfort seemingly increasing.

Against my better judgement, I had followed Aaron and Daryl out of the house, knowing that it was either go with them or be stuck in an unfamiliar place with no one to anchor my nerves.

“So do you do shifts up there? On watch?” I asked, walking side by side with my brother.

“Yeah, we’ve got to have people manning the wall at all times, just in case.” His voice was tense as if he was keeping something from me, I desperately wanted to question him more but decided against it for now.

“So are you guys, like…” I lowered my voice and bumped Aaron’s shoulder with mine. Aaron shot me a look that instantly shut me up.

“Ok, say no more,” I grumbled under my breath just as we reached the wall, I followed Daryl, climbing up the ladder to the ledge up above.

“Aaron?” A voice called from behind us and I swung around, my hand holding me steady on the last step of the ladder. I noticed a dark-skinned man dressed in all black, walking across the dusty ground towards my brother. They paused, facing each other before Aaron glanced back at me briefly. A few moments later and Aaron was heading back towards me.

“I’ve gotta go deal with something real quick, Daryl do you mind keeping an eye on Liv until I get back?” My eyes widened, had I not just managed to survive years out there by myself?

“I don’t need a babysitter,” I laughed.

“Keep watch with Daryl, I’ll be back shortly,” Aaron waved as he jogged to catch up with the other man. I pulled myself up onto the ledge and sat down on the warm wood, glancing towards Daryl – who was ignoring my very existence as he fiddled with one of the bolts for his crossbow.

“You’d think I hadn’t been gone all this time,” I muttered, “Aaron never did trust me.” I tilted my head to look at Daryl, who only briefly looked up from the bolt in his hands.

“Guess it’s the curse of being the youngest sibling, right?” My mouth lifted into a smile as I waited eagerly to see if he would attempt some sort of conversation.

“What’s your deal?” He interrupted, the impatience in his tone catching me off guard.

“What do you mean?” I frowned, waiting for him to continue.

“You just show up here, out of the blue,” Daryl continued, suspicion lacing each word.  
I folded a strand of brown hair behind my ear and looked out over the wall and into the woods. He wasn’t wrong, I guess it was a long shot – travelling out here based on one text message all those years ago.

“Would have gotten here quicker if it wasn’t for the end of the world,” I replied, trying not to let his questioning bother me. These people had a right to be fearful of others, I’d had enough experience out on the road to know that the majority of people nowadays weren’t good.

“I was at college in New York when everything happened,” I began, not knowing if hearing my life story was something this guy would be interested in but continuing anyway. “I’d spoken to Aaron a couple of times when things started to go south but he told me to try not to worry. He was a big deal in Washington, a part of the political circuit, mixing with all these important people doing important things.” A small laugh escaped me as I thought back. “It turned out it that what was happening _was_ something to worry about after all. He sent me a message just before they got moved, he said they were being taken to a place in Virginia just outside of Alexandria. I didn’t even know where that was but I knew if he was being removed from Washington then it was serious.” Daryl seemed to focus in on my words as I kept talking, my discomfort increased as I thought back to the few days following that message. New York was in chaos, the city was overrun with the dead and the few living that were left were mostly worried about keeping themselves alive above all others.

“It took me forever to get out of the city and the only plan I had in my mind was to find Aaron. I guess that never really went away, I just…kept looking for him. I headed in this direction and didn’t stop unless I had to. Still took me years though, had my fair share of trouble along the way. By the looks of things, Aaron did too.” I added.

“He’s been through a lot,” Daryl stated, finally putting the bolt down and rubbing his hands together. “We all have, I guess.”


End file.
